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Mechanical doping – Hidden motor inventor reveals how he thinks cheats can be caughtMotor hidden in bike frame (Stade 2 video image, April 2016).JPG

Mechanical doping – Hidden motor inventor reveals how he thinks cheats can be caught

Says thermal imaging devices are not 100 per cent reliable
by Alex Bowden
Tue, Jul 05, 2016 12:23
8

The Hungarian inventor who pioneered hidden motors says there is no ‘perfect method’ for testing for such devices, reports AFP. He suggests that riders’ climbing efforts should be measured against their ‘maximum’ performance and that if this is exceeded by five per cent, it would indicate cheating.

Thermal imaging devices are being employed at this year’s Tour de France in a bid to detect hidden motors. Bikes are being checked at stage starts and finishes using magnetic wave scanning technology, while a thermal imaging camera mounted on a motorbike is also being used while the race is in progress.

Istvan Varjas, who claims to have developed the hidden motor system 15 years ago, says they often need to be active to be detected in this way.

"The thermal cameras don’t always work, especially if the motor is switched off at the time of testing. And the cyclists are not cheating alone as sometimes the motors are in the wheels and activated from a distance."

Varjas proposes drawing conclusions from riders’ performances on key climbs. "Simply test riders on a mountain and check their maximum performance, if a rider then surpasses this by five percent it would clearly indicate (cheating)," he said.

Mechanical doping – full coverage

Mechanical doping
hidden motors
Istvan Varjas
Alex Bowden

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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8 comments

Avatar
jerome | 8 years ago
0 likes

None is robust to bike swaping during the race. Lowering the weigth limit to null would be one of the best way to ensure competitors do not carry a motor and a battery, that remain off most of the time if I understand correctly. OMG that would mean no more cams on bikes. Ok let's put up with cheating.

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McSeanface | 8 years ago
0 likes

In the carnival that is the tour I can't see how one extra truck and x-raying the top ten finishers and any Jersey contenders bikes every day would be that much more of a logistical stretch.

For what it's worth I take dozens of xrays everyday, often with a portable machine, and all I would need is a van with radiation shielding (not hard, every xrays room in the world has it), somewhere to park near the finish and access to electricity.

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McSeanface | 8 years ago
0 likes

X-ray the bikes!

Its so simple, easy and reliable. Sensitivity and specificity beat anything they're talking about.

Sure radiation is bad, but it can be easily managed by a professional. One oversized airport style baggage scanner in a van - done! No more mechanical doping!

Is this not obvious?

Avatar
Ghisallo replied to McSeanface | 8 years ago
0 likes

McSeanface wrote:

X-ray the bikes! Its so simple, easy and reliable.

It's not simple, nor easy. Imagine the logistics of transporting hundreds of bikes to a hastily set up (ha!) X-ray station, then returning them to their proper places. In a new location every day. With thousands of people milling around. Impossible. For what it's worth, the UCI looked into it, and found it wanting.

Avatar
Ratfink replied to Ghisallo | 8 years ago
2 likes

Ghisallo wrote:

McSeanface wrote:

X-ray the bikes! Its so simple, easy and reliable.

It's not simple, nor easy. Imagine the logistics of transporting hundreds of bikes to a hastily set up (ha!) X-ray station, then returning them to their proper places. In a new location every day. With thousands of people milling around. Impossible. For what it's worth, the UCI looked into it, and found it wanting.

Finish each stage at an airport and the winner will be the first one to finish the race,clear security with a clean bike,dimantle bike into carry on luggage and be waiting in the departures with an extra large toblerone for company.

Avatar
earth | 8 years ago
1 like

For his suggestion to work the organisers need to know the riders perfomance data?  This will take all the mystery out of the event.  We will know before hand who is going to win on paper.  Anyone who exceeds their on-paper ability will be smacked down by allegations of cheating.  What's the point in racing?

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Butty | 8 years ago
1 like

Other news on Road.cc today - The hottest bikes of the TdF....... LOL

Avatar
tritecommentbot | 8 years ago
1 like

But 4.9% is okay?

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